Former President Barack Obama triggered a virtual wave of backlash on Monday when a video clip went viral showing him calling for a Justice Department, FBI, and court system free from the “meddling” of politicians.
Obama joined comedian and podcast host Marc Maron for his final episode — and in an obvious attempt to attack Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations under President Donald Trump, he accidentally delivered a knockout punch to his own administration.
WATCH:
Barack Obama: “We don’t want kangaroo courts and trumped up charges. We want our court system and our DOJ and FBI to be playing things straight and not meddling in politics.” pic.twitter.com/7gJMWGCsO4
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) October 14, 2025
“That’s not who we are. That’s not our idea of America,” Obama said of the crackdown on urban crime — and the use of ICE agents and National Guard troops to keep order. “We don’t want masked folks with rifles and machine guns patrolling our streets. We want cops on the beat who know the neighborhood and the kids around, and that’s how we keep the peace around here.”
He pivoted to the court system then, adding, “We don’t want kangaroo courts and trumped up charges. That’s what happens in other places that we used to scold for doing that. We want our court system and our Justice Department and our prosecutors and our FBI to be, just playing things straight and looking at the facts and not meddling in politics the way we’ve seen lately. And I think if enough people start not to being in a fetal position, but also not being — just not worrying about it and and detached from it, but being vigilant, but also saying, you know what – yeah, we can stand up to this. We can call it like we see it. We need people who have whatever platforms they have to be able to say, no, that’s not who we are, and to be willing to get attacked on X by whoever for doing that. And it’s not easy.”
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But critics were quick to point out that the federal government under Obama had been highly politicized, from lawsuits targeting the Little Sisters of the Poor and an Internal Revenue Service weaponized against conservatives to the Justice Department’s politically-driven investigation into President Donald Trump.
“Irony alert,” Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) posted.
🚨 Irony alert. https://t.co/vgNuVmM7Bq
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) October 14, 2025
“He’s desperate. His legacy is trash and he knows it,” Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) added.
He’s desperate.
His legacy is trash and he knows it. https://t.co/k9ocR7uAax
— Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) October 14, 2025
Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) added, “Says the guy who presided over the fabrication of the Russian collusion narrative and the IRS targeting of conservatives …”
Says the guy who presided over the fabrication of the Russian collusion narrative and the IRS targeting of conservatives… https://t.co/7DNVilkfOR
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) October 14, 2025
Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) added, “Barack Obama has no business lecturing anyone about ‘playing things straight.’ Under Obama’s watch: His IRS targeted conservatives; His DOJ spied on reporters; His FBI wiretapped the Trump campaign; His administration pushed the Russiagate hoax against Trump. Obama set the standard for political meddling, and thank goodness President Trump is there to clean up the mess he and Biden left behind.”
Barack Obama has no business lecturing anyone about “playing things straight.”
Under Obama’s watch:
– His IRS targeted conservatives
– His DOJ spied on reporters
– His FBI wiretapped the Trump campaign
– His administration pushed the Russiagate hoax against Trump
Obama set the… https://t.co/oHXU9kDtn3
— Congressman Greg Steube (@RepGregSteube) October 14, 2025
“The audacity of hypocrites like @barackobama is breathtaking, after what he did to his political opponents,” actor Nick Searcy commented.
The audacity of hypocrites like @barackobama is breathtaking, after what he did to his political opponents. https://t.co/5l50a5iCRM
— Nick Searcy, Actor/Director/Producer/Author (@yesnicksearcy) October 14, 2025
“This is parody, right?” Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) asked.
This is parody, right? https://t.co/3XlteEGMex
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) October 14, 2025
